Green List Careers and PR in New Zealand
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New Zealand identified a pressing need for skilled professionals and created the Green List—a roster of occupations urgently needing global talent due to local shortages.
Choosing a Green List career not only opens up expedited visa processing and prioritization but also sets a clear path to permanent residency in New Zealand. Whether you’re eyeing a straight-to-residence role or leveraging work-to-residence opportunities, these high-demand professions span sectors from healthcare to engineering, ensuring your skills contribute directly to New Zealand’s growing needs.
- Anaesthetist
- Chemical engineer
- Civil engineer
- Civil engineering technician
- Clinical psychologists and psychologists
- Construction project manager
- Electrical engineer
- Electrical engineering technician
- Electronic engineering technician
- Electronics engineer
- Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified
- Environmental engineer
- Environmental research scientist
- Food technologist
- General practitioner
- Geotechnical engineer
- ICT managers (minimum salary NZ$120,000)
- ICT security specialist (minimum salary NZ$120,000)
- Industrial engineer
- Materials engineer
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical laboratory scientist
- Multimedia specialists (minimum salary NZ$95,000)
- Orthoptist
- Other medical practitioners (including dermatologist, gynaecologist, obstetrician, ophthalmologist, radiation oncologist and diagnostic and interventional radiologist)
- Other spatial scientist
- Physicist (medical)
- Production or plant engineer
- Project builder
- Psychiatrist
- Quantity surveyor
- Resident medical officer
- Software engineer (minimum salary NZ$120,000)
- Specialist physicians not elsewhere classified
- Structural engineer
- Surgeons (Including cardiothoracic surgeon, general surgeons, neurosurgeon, otorhinolaryngologist, orthopaedic surgeon, vascular surgeon and urologist)
- Surveyor
- Telecommunications engineers
- Telecommunications network engineers
- Veterinarian
After a person has spent two years working in one of the following roles, eligible migrants can apply for residency.
- All registered nurses (including aged care)
- Anaesthetic technician
- Audiologist
- Automotive electrician
- Dairy farm managers
- Diesel motor mechanic (including heavy vehicle inspector)
- Medical imaging technologist
- Medical laboratory technician
- Medical radiation therapist
- Midwife
- Occupational therapist
- Plumber – registered
- Podiatrist
- Registered electrician (general)
- Sonographer
- Secondary school teachers with specialisations and registered ECE
- Pressure Welder
- Metal Fabricator
- Welder
- Fitter (General)
- Fitter and Turner
- Fitter-Welder
- Metal Machinist (First Class)
- Panel Beater
- Vehicle Painter
- Paving Plant Operator
Aiming for a Green List career? Your academic pursuit in New Zealand not only positions you for a high-demand role but also qualifies you for post-study work rights, propelling you toward permanent residency. To qualify, your study must align with Green List needs, ranging from tertiary degrees to specific vocational qualifications.
- Ensure your chosen role aligns with either tier one or two of the Green List.
- Meet the specific qualifications and work experience requirements.
- Secure full-time employment (at least 30 hours a week) from an accredited employer.
- Be under 55 and meet English language, health, and character requirements.
As of 2025, work-to-residence visas are open with newly added trade roles, while straight-to-residence options continue for Tier 1 roles. Navigate your application online via a RealMe account, submitting necessary documents like IELTS scores, health proofs, and employment offers.
Let Saga Studies be your compass to a Green List career and future in New Zealand. From selecting the right qualification to navigating your application maze, we’re here to turn your New Zealand dream into reality. Ready to start? Reach out today, and let’s make your Green List aspirations to life in the land of the long white cloud.
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